The Resurrection and Meeting on Sunday

Last week, I spoke to at least three people who don’t go to church. Each of the three from different homes, said they were Christians, that they didn’t have to go to a church to be a Christian. In one sense, they’re right. Going to church doesn’t make someone a Christian in the sense of believing the gospel. Salvation is by grace, not by works. However, we don’t see anyone in the Bible who believes in Jesus Christ who will not join a church. 1 John 2:19 calls someone who leaves and stays away from the church an unbeliever. This person went out from us but was not of us – not of us. Church itself means “assembly.” Acts 2:41 says that they who gladly received His Word were added to the church, the assembly. Someone not assembling isn’t in the assembly, the church. He isn’t gladly receiving the Word, preached in the assembly.

The church in scripture meets on the Lord’s Day, which is Sunday. Why? Scripture shows several reasons believers or church members gather on Sunday. The first is because Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday. The assembling of believers, the church, meets on the day that Jesus finished the gospel. Every Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Christ. When we say we believe in Jesus, we believe in the resurrection.